Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Pairings Party: Onoto Scholar Highland, Ferris Wheel Press Central Park Greens

We stationery lovers love picking out perfect product matches. Whether that is a wooden pencil paired with a textured paper, or a fountain pen inked with a complimentary color, we all spend way too much time and effort getting things just right. It’s our nature, and we love it!

One thing I am going to start doing is sharing some of the pairings I make, especially when testing new fountain pens and inks. I have plenty of both that come across my desk, and do consider how products work together, even if it is mostly aesthetic.

I went matchy-matchy with this pairing of the Onoto Scholar Highland Fountain Pen, inked with Ferris Wheel Press Central Park Greens. The greens of both work well together, with the ink color bringing out the subtle shades of green in the acrylic pen barrel.

This is my first experience with the Onoto Scholar, from the classic British pen maker. Onoto’s original run as a manufacturer ran from 1905 to 1958, with the Onoto we know today re-launching in 2005, restoring these British-made pens back to their former glory.

Modern Onoto pens are classically-styled, and feature amazing craftsmanship at many different price points. Up until the release of the Scholar, there wasn’t a dedicated introduction product lineup to the brand. To jump into an Onoto at a base-level would cost you somewhere in the $400-$500 range, but the Scholar brought that down to a more reasonable $270 price point, while keeping the high quality they are known for. Yes, that is still pricey, but is a far better solution for those wanting to test out the brand for the first time.

That’s what I’m doing with the Scholar, and it has been great in every way. This gold trim model (silver trim is also available) features a uniquely-patterend green and grey polished acrylic barrel and cap material, with a polished black grip section and top finial. The Fine Steel two-tone gold-plated Onoto #7 nib is rock-solid, with a firm feel and a smooth line. It works perfectly with the overall size and feel of the pen, which checks in at a mid-range 25 grams in total. It uses a cartridge/converter filling system.

Onoto Scholar Nib — *This is a Fine nib, and was a wet writer out of the box.*

As a fan of classic designs for modern times, I would be remiss if I didn’t call out the beauty of the Onoto chevron clip. That, in conjunction with one of the best logos in the business on the top finial, completes this British design wonderfully.

To match the Highland, I went with another first-time test in Central Park Greens. Despite being around for years, this is my first Ferris Wheel Press experience. This is a standard ink, with good flow, average shading, no sheen, and a moderate dry time. The green ink leans slightly yellow, but is more than legible on most pages. In short, it is an excellent writing ink, and a great choice for putting words on the page.

The Onoto Scholar comes in many classic solid barrel colors including the vintage-styled Mandarin, and Rosso-both of which harken back to classic fountain pen barrel colors found in the early 1900’s. Along with Highland, Onoto has done a fantastic job bridging design philosophies of old and new, and now price points as well.

As for Ferris Wheel Press, the choice is endless. I will say, as great as the ink is, and as beautiful as the bottles are, they are some of the least functional from a pen filling perspective. Syringes or pipettes may be required for wider-barreled pens, and a more solid bottle base maybe be required, less you end up with an inky mess on your hands-or counter top.

This pairing was a party, and a fun way to look at two products together-especially when both products are new to me. I’ll be looking for ways to work in more pairings posts into future reviews.

(Vanness Pens loaned this product to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on March 20, 2023 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Onoto, Ferris Wheel Press, Fountain Pens, Ink Reviews, Pen Reviews.

CW&T Pen Type-B Brass Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

I have wanted to try CW&T Pen Type-B ever since I heard Brad annoy Myke with it on the podcast, many years ago. The POP it makes when you open it is endlessly satisfying, and the machined precision that causes it to float back into place when capped is absolutely magical. I'm unabashedly obsessed with this slightly ridiculous pen.

The version of the Pen Type-B that I have here is a stainless steel body with a brass tube cap that extends almost the full length of the body. Both are plain cylinders, except that the cap has one flattened side that keeps the pen from rolling away. There's no lettering, no grip section--just two metal tubes living together in perfect harmony. The brass cap is meant to take on character as it is used, though I've used it almost daily for weeks and it hasn't started to patina yet. It did take on some character where I dropped it in my driveway, but that's just a wee scratch, and the pen itself appears indestructible.

The precision tolerance of the machining is what creates the air-tight seal between the body and cap, resulting in that glorious POP when you open it, and the slow piston closure. If you open the pen partway, it will slowly sink back into the cap from the suction generated by the airtight seal. This trick only works if the pen is machined absolutely perfectly, and CW&T inspect every pen to make sure they are indeed perfect. The fidget factor here is off the charts. I had to attend two all-day professional training seminars last month, and I have a weekly 3-hour zoom class. This pen is responsible for keeping me in my seat, appearing somewhat sane (that's as good as it gets, for me. Fully sane is unattainable).

The pen body has no seams or interruptions. The access to the refill is through the back end of the pen, where there is a small bolt that unscrews. It's easy to do--I was able to unscrew it with my fingernail, though a coin or key would also work. When the small bolt is removed, the refill simply slides out.

The pen body can be used by itself for writing, or the cap-sleeve can be posted if you want a thicker, heavier pen. This isn't a light pen, as one can probably guess from the materials. It's 90 grams altogether. I haven't used it for long writing sessions, though I think I could if it were unposted, and I continuously reach for it to jot down quick notes or sign something.

The included refill is fantastic. It's the Pilot Hi-Tec C, and it comes with a black 0.3 mm insert. I love the ultra-fine point on this refill, and it writes like a dream. It's smooth and has a nice flow, with no scratching or skipping. The ink is dark enough to be visible even with fine writing. It's perfect for writing very small notes, or in the wee squares of a pocket calendar.

But what if you don't like the Pilot Hi-Tec C? There are a variety of spacer inserts available, from 2mm to 27mm, that allow this pen to take just about any refill you can imagine.

It's quite a feat for a pen to be so minimal and yet so EXTRA at the same time, and I am totally here for it. I'm about to sit down to my last 3-hour lecture of my grad school career, and I've got it right here on my desk, ready for notes--and fidgets.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on March 9, 2023 by Sarah Read and filed under Pen Type-B, Pen Reviews.

Leonardo Supernova Star Light Blue Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

This Leonardo Supernova that I've had on my desk the last couple of weeks has really stolen the show in terms of my stationery rotation. I couldn't pass it up when I saw it online, but seeing the pen in person is even more striking.

The Leonardo Supernova is a regular edition that features a beautiful marbled acrylic that is made in Italy. The color I have is called Star Light Blue with Ruthenium Trim, but there are three other colors options as well. All four materials are gorgeous, but I'm a sucker for bright blues and turquoise with hints of green.

The swirl of color in this material is one thing, but Leonardo added a little extra character by including a sprinkle of reflective particles that subtly sparkle and twinkle under the light. The sparkle gives the acrylic just a little more depth and visual interest that makes the pen pop.

The fit and finish of this pen is fantastic, and I was impressed by how well-made it is for the price. Everything lines up perfectly and feels solid in the hand, and the dark trim complements the bright blue body beautifully. The wide band features a geometric design that looks great without drawing attention away from the acrylic. Aside from the band, there's also a small ring at the bottom of the pen and a functional clip on the cap. The clip is a sleek shape and has a wheel at the end that makes it just a little easier to clip onto things while still keeping the pen secure.

The Supernova sports a steel #6 Jowo nib with some decorative scroll work and the nib size inscribed at the base. The dark nib matches the rest of the trim on the pen and continues that delicious contrast between the dark metal and bright acrylic. The fine nib on this pen was smooth and crisp out of the box, and flows well with the couple of inks I've already tried with it.

Writing with the Supernova is fantastic due to the smooth nib and even balance of the pen body. You can post the cap on the back of the pen, but I prefer leaving it unposted since it's a full-size fountain pen. I like the balance without the cap a little better, but just know that the cap posts securely if you like to write with the additional weight. No one likes a loose cap on the back of the pen when trying to write!

Along with the pen and gift box, Leonardo include a standard cartridge converter so that you can ink the pen up with your favorite ink. I wish more pen manufacturers would do this instead of including a couple of generic black or blue ink cartridges!

From when I first saw the Leonardo Supernova on Goldspot's website, I had high expectations. At $152, it's not a cheap pen, and straddles a really interesting and competitive price point. At a minimum, it needs to perform like other amazing pens that you can buy at this price. I'm happy to say that this pen exceeds my expectations. It's a pleasure to use, and it looks so awesome on my desk. I can't help but pick it up and twirl it around under the light to admire the personality in the acrylic.

Aside from the fine nib, you have the option of extra fine, medium, broad, elastic extra fine, elastic fine, and 1.5mm stub. And good luck picking just one color out of this exceptional lineup of materials!

(Goldspot provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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